Tubular electrochemical cell

Abstract

The present teachings relate to an electrochemical cell having a closed Fermat spiral shape. The electrochemical cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, a fuel channel, an oxidant channel, and optionally a reforming layer. The electrochemical cell can be made through extrusion, gel-casting, or 3-D printing. The electrochemical cell can be a solid oxide fuel cell.

1. An electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode layer; 
 a cathode layer; and 
 an electrolyte layer interposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer, together forming a spiral multilayer member comprising an axial length and substantially cylindrical body, the electrolyte layer being in ionic or protonic communication with one of the anode layer and the cathode layer, 
 wherein the spiral multilayer member forms a closed Fermat spiral that closes upon itself and defines a fuel channel bounded by the anode layer, and an oxidant channel bounded by the cathode layer that extends radially in the form of a spiral, and each of the fuel channel and the oxidant channel extends from a first end to a second end along the axial length of the spiral multilayer member and comprises a spiral cross-section. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode layer further comprises a reforming layer. 
     
     
       3. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode layer, the electrolyte layer, and the cathode layer each has a width between about 5 μm and about 2,000 μm. 
     
     
       4. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is an anode-supported electrochemical cell, a cathode-supported electrochemical cell, an electrolyte-supported electrochemical cell, a metal-supported electrochemical cell, or a substrate-supported electrochemical cell. 
     
     
       5. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel channel and the oxidant channel each have a width between about 0.1 mm and about 5 mm. 
     
     
       6. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises an ionic conductor or a protonic conductor. 
     
     
       7. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a solid oxide fuel cell. 
     
     
       8. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte layer comprises an ionic conductor and the electrochemical cell is an anode-supported solid oxide fuel cell. 
     
     
       9. The electrochemical cell of  claim 8 , wherein the anode layer has a width of about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm, the electrolyte layer has a width of about 5 μm to about 50 μm, and the cathode layer has a width of about 10 μm to about 100 μm. 
     
     
       10. The electrochemical cell of  claim 8 , wherein the anode layer comprises a porous nickel cermet comprising yttria-stabilized zirconia. 
     
     
       11. The electrochemical cell of  claim 10 , wherein the anode layer further comprises a reforming layer. 
     
     
       12. The electrochemical cell of  claim 11 , wherein the reforming layer comprises a partial oxidation reforming catalyst. 
     
     
       13. The electrochemical cell of  claim 8 , wherein the cathode layer comprises a perovskite. 
     
     
       14. The electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel channel and the oxidant channel extend longitudinally along the entire axial length of the substantially cylindrical body of the spiral multilayer member.